Leviticus 26:8

8 persequentur quinque de vestris centum alienos et centum ex vobis decem milia cadent inimici vestri in conspectu vestro gladio

Leviticus 26:8 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 26:8

And five of you shall chase an hundred
One man chase twenty; and an hundred of you put ten thousand to flight;
which, had it been in proportion to the other number, should have been two thousand, as in ( Deuteronomy 32:30 ) ; where there is a proportion observed; and Abendana observes, there are some that give the sense of it thus, an hundred of you, an hundred times five, that is, five hundred, and so it comes up to a right computation; but here it seems to be a certain number for an uncertain, and only a proverbial expression, signifying that a very few, under the blessing of divine Providence, should get the advantage over a large number, and oblige them to retire, and pursue them closely: instances we have of large bodies of the enemy being defeated by a small number of Israelites, ( Judges 7:21 Judges 7:22 ) ; and even many by a single person or two, ( 1 Samuel 14:13 1 Samuel 14:14 ) ( 2 Samuel 23:8-16 ) ; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword;
(See Gill on Leviticus 26:7).

Leviticus 26:8 In-Context

6 dabo pacem in finibus vestris dormietis et non erit qui exterreat auferam malas bestias et gladius non transibit terminos vestros

7 persequemini inimicos vestros et corruent coram vobis

8 persequentur quinque de vestris centum alienos et centum ex vobis decem milia cadent inimici vestri in conspectu vestro gladio

9 respiciam vos et crescere faciam multiplicabimini et firmabo pactum meum vobiscum

10 comedetis vetustissima veterum et vetera novis supervenientibus proicietis